Victor Ochei a former Delta State House of Assembly Speaker has formally declared his interest to run for the office of the Governor of the State, under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Hon. Victor Ochei who was once a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Speaker under the former Governor of the State, Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration who has also dumped the PDP for APC, is looking to try is luck one more time, after his failed bid at both Governorship seat and the Senate in 2015.
Hon. Victor Ochei who is also from Delta North as the present Governor, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and Senator and former PDP leader in the State, and once proclaimed ‘Strong man of Delta Politics’ Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, is looking to disrupt the political calculation of Delta State.
The former State House Speaker declared his intention to run in the 2019 general elections as he addressed some APC faithful and stakeholders in Isoko North and South local government areas of Delta State on Wednesday, 8th 2018.
While addressing APC members, Hon. Victor Ochei who thanked them for their support, said:
“The much-awaited move to reposition Delta state on the path of purposive governance has taken a step of faith, to challenge the hitherto poor leadership and absence of political will, in deploying the instrumentality of governance rightly, to the benefit of the people.” He said.
Stating further, he said:
“Hence, my resolve to run for the office of Governor of Delta state in 2019, necessitated consultation visits to relevant stakeholders and party faithful in Isoko North and South local government areas yesterday, Wednesday 5th of September, 2018. “
“Undoubtedly, this change we seek begins with choosing the right candidate at the forthcoming Gubernatorial Primaries of our great party the All Progressives Congress (APC). And my emergence as the standard bearer of the party will be a sure step towards the actualization of this change, which is, bringing about goal-oriented governance.
God Bless Delta State.” He concluded.
Delta State will be an interesting State to watch out for in the forthcoming elections as the drama of defections greets the PDP in the State. One of those people that could further help the APC to alter the calculations come 2019 is former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan who decamped from PDP to APC.
Uduaghan’s decamping ordinarily should have been a thing of worry to many politicians in the State, especially those from the PDP, but given his failed bid in 2015 to go for the Senate and also his alleged attempt to impose one of his men as Governor in 2015, many do not see him as a political threat.
Many now see his 2015 experience as a sign of his dwindling political relevance in the state, and the likes of Victor Ochei will have to do a lot more if they hope to win come 2019.
The structure of PDP in Delta State looking from outside, seem too strong to be pulled down overnight, especially that of Delta North. It is going to be a huge task, but not ruling anything out, as with the likes of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege who is of the APC and Uduaghan coming together, nothing is impossible.
…again, I cannot wait for the 2019 elections to begin already…lol